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Monday, December 6, 2010

Soy Nog Cupcakes & A Very Special VegNews Contest!

There's not really much more I can say about Soy Nog Cupcakes, other than that they're fantastic and you should try them! I mean, I guess I could talk up how moist and distinctively enjoyable they are for the holidays, but those would only be words. Something wonderful about this time of year is that you don't just talk about some pretty marvelous things - you actually get them! Think about it. You get to make a list of things you've always wanted and you get at least some of them - unless you've been bad. You get to bake all kinds of wonderful projects and warm up your house at the same time. People donate and volunteer more during these winter holiday months than any of time of the year. There are countless parties to throw and go to. Mistletoe to kiss your husband under. Still don't believe me this is an awesome time of year? You get to drink hot chocolate. You're drinking warm liquid chocolate! And one of my personal favorites - Silk Soy Nog hits the shelves.

These cupcakes combine 2 things that we love: Cupcakes and Silk Soy Nog! (insert starry eyed lovesick swoon here) They also seemed like a great post to announce our next contest. That's right, we're partnering up with one of our favorite magazines, VegNews--the premier magazine focusing on a vegetarian lifestyle since 2000--to bring you A Very Special VegNews End of the Year Contest!

All you have to do to win is leave a comment below answering these 3 questions:
  • What has been your favorite Meet The Shannons Recipe thus far?
  • What recipe have you always wanted to see veganized and would like to see next year?
  • What is your favorite feature on VegNews.com - Saavy Abby, Book Club, Cafe VegNews...?
Before you leave your comment - remember in order to win one of our contests, you need to be a "follower" of Meet The Shannons. If we can't email you, then we can't send you your prize! So before you leave your comment with the answers, make sure you use the "follow" button on the side of the blog.

We'll randomly choose a follower from the correct answers posted below on Jan. 1st and send you a MAJOR AWARD! (Please keep in mind that it will take a few days for processing and shipping). What is this major award all the kids are talking about? Well, a gift pack from VegNews, of course! This includes a one-year subscription, the current issue of VegNews, an over-sized tote bag, and six vegan cookies, a gift pack totaling $50! I know - It's like a Christmas Miracle!

Let's bake some cupcakes!
Soy Nog Cupcake (this should make 2 dozen cupcakes)
  • 2 1/3 Cups Flour
  • 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Margarine
  • 1 1/4 Cup Vegan Egg Nog
  • 3 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/4 Teaspoon Rum Extract
  • 3 Tablespoons Applesauce
  • 1 Teaspoon EnerG Egg Replacer
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
  • Baking Spray

Heat oven to 350.


Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl with a hand held electric mixer for 5 minutes on a medium speed. You want it be smooth and fluffy. Here's a tip - turn your bowl at a slight angle to make your batter a little fluffier.

Lightly spray your cupcake pan or silicone baking cups with Baking Spray or use paper liner... but once your pan is ready, fill the cups 3/4 of the way and bake for around 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from the oven when you can stick a toothpick in the center and remove it cleanly.

Soy Nog Frosting
  • 2 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Vegan Vegetable Shortening
  • 1/4 Cup Margarine
  • 2 Teaspoons Rum or Rum Extract
  • 2 Teaspoon Vegan Egg Nog
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon (you'll want a little more to sprinkle over the top)
  • Cinnamon Sticks for decorating


Blend all the ingredients in a large bowl with a hand held electric mixer on a medium speed for 5 minutes using the beater attachments first and then when the shortening and margarine are soft - switch to the whisk attachments and blend for another 5 minutes. You want to stop when it gets fluffy.


If you want your frosting to be thicker add more Powdered Sugar - a tablespoon at a time or if you want it softer add Soy Nog a teaspoon at a time.

26 comments:

  1. My favorite Meet the Shannons was probably the rustic avocado Baguette. So simple and now a lunch staple.
    I have always wanted to see a gyro veganized.
    and my favorite feature is probably CafeVegNews.

    ReplyDelete
  2. * What has been your favorite Meet The Shannons Recipe thus far? : The latkes for sure, although the zucchini apple bread is a close second. I love all of the recipes i've tried.
    * What recipe have you always wanted to see veganized and would like to see next year? : Cottage cheese... It will never happen *sigh* :P
    * What is your favorite feature on VegNews.com - Saavy Abby, Book Club, Cafe VegNews...? : Saavy Abby because she helps me fit vegan foods into a poor person budget :P

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  3. I love various recipes from you! the vegan baked latkas, thank goodness someone finally posted something on latkas! and I also loved the macaroni & sheese cups! those were so freaking adorable! makes me happy to see a cute mac n sheese recipe like that!

    I would love to see you Veganize Clam Chowder! That has been a childhood favorite yet i actually sort of miss having it with a sourdough bread bowl!

    VegNews.com is an awesome website overall! I love all the articles especially on the holidays! Plus the vegan nutrition articles!

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  4. I loved the New York cheesecake recipe!

    I would like to see brie cheese veganized (I know it is not really a recipe but a girl can cream, can't she?)

    I like the VegNews feature "I Can't Believe It's Vegan"

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  5. I really liked the Eggs Benedict Featuring the Poached Tofu

    You've veganized so many things... it's hard to pick something. In Vietnamese culture, they have a "seven courses of beef" specialty... something like that veganized would be incredible.

    My favorite VegNews feature is SavvyAbby. Great tips and tasty recipes.

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  6. Your deep fried Tofurkey was especially awesome this year.

    Souffle baby - a vegan souffle would rock my world!

    My favorite feature is the last page of the mag - I always love reading those stories!

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  7. I have a lot of respect for the hard-boiled tofu-egg and also the poached tofu-egg! I really want to try the latter but need one of the injector gadgets. I want to try the former as a deviled "egg".

    I would like a gyro recipe also! The pre-made ones I've tried were horrible. Something pastrami-ish too.

    I love all of VegNews. I subscribe to the magazine and usually check out their website daily, especially for holiday recipe ideas (and the nifty giveaways).

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  8. favorite recipe? Oh my god, the beignets!
    like to see veganized? jalapeno poppers...mmm...
    Favorite vegnews item? Savvy Abby! Although I wish she posted more- I'm a broke college student!

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  9. I have some weird distant memory of making soy nog cupcakes, but that may have been a dream....because if I did make some, I have proof or blog post about it. Maybe I just thought about it...I should really do that....and good point on the liquid chocolate. That does really make the stupid cold-ass weather seem worth it.

    On the contest:
    1. Beer Can Tofurky
    2. I'd like to y'all veganize a merinque pie!!
    3. Cafe VegNews, all the way!

    BTW, I tried to sign up on the follower site but I'm not sure I did it right. It's supposed send me an email confirmation, but if I failed, mine's bphillips[at]memphisflyer[dot]com.

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  10. My favorite is the silk nog cupcakes. I would love to see vegan recipes for cheesecake. My favorite is the cafe vegnews.Thanks

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  11. • What has been your favorite Meet The Shannons Recipe thus far?
    o I love everything from you Betty Crocker Project, which is how I first found out about this blog… unfortunately I’m abroad for the semester & without much cookware but once I’m home at Christmas I want to try your Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting (my favorite cake ever!)... but honestly these soy nog cupcakes may be a new fav! LOVE soy nog :D


    • What recipe have you always wanted to see veganized and would like to see next year?
    o A recipe I’ve always wanted to see veganized is basically any of the cookies/pies from Momofuku in NYC, which I’ve gone to a few times before I was vegan. They have a have a “crack pie” (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/11/food/la-fo-crackpierec11-2010feb11) which has a large portion filled with butter; I tried to veganized with Earth Balance and a cornstarch egg but the texture was a big off and it was a bit watery…


    • What is your favorite feature on VegNews.com - Saavy Abby, Book Club, Cafe VegNews...?
    o The Travel feature on VegNews.com has been incredibly useful for me when traveling to different US cities and even abroad; I always love to find the best local places to go when in a new city. But pretty much everything on VegNews is great and I try to keep up with their news section fairly regularly.

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  12. I haven't tried it yet, but I love the kitschy-ness of the fried egg :)
    I really want to see if there's any way to make vegan meringue cookies or pie topping.
    I love Savvy Abby! It seemed like she'd quit blogging for a while, but I'm glad she's still at it. I need some penny penny pinching hints.

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  13. though I've yet to try it, these soy nog cupcakes might become my favorite. aside from that, I think the eggs benedict and fried eggs are really incredible--gotta love that runny "yolk"

    I want a good vegan ceviche recipe. I used to love it in my pre-vegan days!

    I like Savvy Abby a lot--her tips are so useful!

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  14. I really really want to try to make your fried egg- what a creative idea! I'm learning that nutritional yeast flakes are my friend :)

    I would love to see you veganize a Creole Crawfish Boil.

    My favorite feature would have to be Saavy Abby and I'm constantly looking for new recipes to try out.

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  15. What a wonderful contest. Sign me up to win. I just love your site because the Betty Crocker Cookbook is such an american cooking icon & to have the receipes that I grew up with veganized. Thank you. Here are my answers to the 3 questions:
    What has been your favorite Meet The Shannons Recipe thus far?
    Turtle Cheesecake
    What recipe have you always wanted to see veganized and would like to see next year?
    Vegan Hot Chocolate mix - that can be used to give as a gift from the kitchen
    What is your favorite feature on VegNews.com - Saavy Abby, Book Club, Cafe VegNews...?
    Saavy Abby and the Featurettes

    ReplyDelete
  16. im not applying for the contest, but I did want to tell you how much I LOVED and APRECIATED your vegan Green Bean Casserole. Over the last two years i have developed allergies to both dairy AND mushrooms, and not being a meat eater, will... it was kind of like pouring salt in the wound. Your recipe was amazing, and I when i shared it at thanksgiving, everyone was dumbfounded by how delicious and similar to the "real thing" it was.
    THANK YOU!

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  17. Hmmmmm, so much to choose from.....
    I really liked the Cuban Black Bean Soup, really yummy & comforting in the cold weather!
    As far as wanting something veganized, I would have to say Saganaki! I really miss the sizzle & tang, thankfully though I've gotten rid of the pain for some!
    VegNews has soooooo much to offer at any given time, I've utilized it all, but I'm really torn between Saavy Abby & Cafe; Tie! It's all a winner as far as I'm concerned!!!!!
    I'd love to have you guys over for some of our Vegan Jambalya & Biscuits 'n Gravy. My husband just ROCKS those; I'm the baker, so I'm into the scones & biscotti. My blueberry pancakes give him a good run for his money though....
    Thanks for tackling this project with such enthusiasm~ you have such energy & creative ideas! It makes meal prep so much easier when I have a guide (I can be kinda lazy sometimes!)

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  18. My favorite recipe is the cajun deep fried Tofurkey. To me, it's the biggest middle finger to non-vegan foodies.

    I would love to see veganized twice baked potatoes!

    My favorite Veg News feature is Saavy Abby.

    Love you guys! My last name is Shannon, and I pray that we're distant relatives.

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  19. Sorry, I've been coming to your page through my favorites, but I wasn't actually following you....I'm Gaelicark ↑ above! :o}

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  20. Okay my answers to the three questions would be...

    1. Bacon Cheeseburger Lasagna YUM!
    2. Lemon Meringue Pie please
    3. I love all of VegNews but especially enjoy Saavy Abby and the recipes of course!

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  21. 1. Seriously - this is my favourite recipe. I've made it 3 times this week!
    2. How about vegan turtles, you know those chocolates with pecans shaped like little turtles. A childhood favourite that I miss this time of year.
    3. Saavy Abby.

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  22. 1- New York Cheesecake is my favorite
    2- Coconut Cream Pie
    3 Saavy Abby's site is wonderful so helpful!!
    cher_theblondeprincess@hotmail.com

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  23. I love the Tuna Casserole. It was one of my faves growing up, and was certainly a "Joy!" to see it veganized so well. The project overall is amazing.

    I know I'm echoing some of the other comments, but Coconut Cream Pie and other "meringue" dishes are missed for sure.

    I love the Veg News book club! It has inspired me to read some titles I hadn't before (Mad Cowboy) and to revisit those that I had (Skinny Bitch). Plus, the mag is just the best. After the Veggie Awards, I *knew* to be excited when I saw a Loving Hut was coming to Pittsburgh.

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  24. I just discovered your blog! Those cupcakes looks pretty amazing.

    Pie crust, is the first thing that comes to mind. My Grandma makes amazing pie, and this holiday season I made pie, but the vegan way does not compare to the non-vegan way. I do not know why that is.

    I love all of VEG NEWS, but I will say...Saavy Abby

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  25. Just wanted to let you know that another follower tried the Cupcakes (made them for everyone at our New Year's Eve Game Night) - they were a hit!!! Thanks again!

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